Natural Lighting
Roots and Truth
I have been on a journey to restore my health for a long time. The driving force was a “liver inflammation” (doctor’s words) and undiagnosable blanket statement symptoms like chronic pain, chronic fatigue, under-active thyroid.
There are medical interventions for some of these conditions, but I never, within the medical system, received an explanation of the WHY or the HOW of my physical suffering. These conditions, especially the liver condition, (which was life threatening) lead me to diet change a decade ago.
As I have experimented with diet for ten years, and done intensive liver cleanses within my journey. Four years into my health journey, I came to a realization that all that I was doing wasn’t resolving my liver inflammation. This was incredibly disappointing and disheartening.
The diet approach that I was taking highly promoted fruits and vegetables, and there came a point that I was bloating every time I ate a raw fruit or a vegetable.
I cooked my vegetables and lowered my fruit for years, but all my health issues still existed. My conditions weren’t life threatening anymore, but I was still left, seeking more.
More explanations and answers,
— a more comfortable way of living.
My bloating exasperated my pain.
Logic and Intuition Over Conditioning
After seven years of exploring and inviting more holistic practices into my life, I was introduced to the pro-metabolic lifestyle. This life-style approach is a natural way of loosing weight. It promotes a holistic route to lower inflammation.
And I was a skeptic. Through my years of inundated reading, I had been conditioned to believe that (diet-wise) fruits and vegetables were the answer to healing any condition. And now I was being introduced into a broader way of thinking. I was encouraged to eat meat (lots of meat), and add dairy and eggs back into my diet. There were a few more lifestyle balances that I was invited to consider as a part of this change.
Part of the lifestyle change was to examine how lighting plays a role in an individual’s day.
When I heard all of these details around healing my digestion and metabolism, I was dismissive–still overwhelmed by the illness inside of my body. I kept thinking– there’s more??? Am I not doing enough already?
Avoiding a new learning curve, I was a skeptic for a period of time. In the months to follow I started implementing the natural lighting things that felt easy. I stopped wearing my sunglasses outside, so my eyes could receive the natural light from the sun. I started rolling down the window as I was driving carpool, so the natural sun rise could reach my eyes. Whenever I could take a walk during sunset, I did.
I kept hearing about circadian rhythm from prominent podcasts, and holistic advocates. Again and again, I thought, the schedule that we keep can’t have that much of an impact. I thought that my lifestyle was already healthy.
I tried to go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 7 a.m.
But my inflammation was still present in my body. So this year I have implemented more changes, including changing the lighting inside of my home.
The reason for this blog post is not to write about the impacts that these changes are having. (I really don’t think I could write that article yet! I need a few years more to measure the impacts!!)
The purpose of this blog post is to source the light bulbs and blue light glasses that I have purchased this year, and link the podcasts that have been more helpful to listen to during this experience.
Links and Resources
An important note:
Remember, these insights come from a holistic vantage point. And there is never a one size fits all health solution. These ideas go against the grain offered in our current health care model. (I live in the United States.) The advice shared here on this blog, or in these podcasts, review where we are in our current evolution as humans, and I have found that these teachers have a well-rounded perspective.
I have created this webpage as a starting place to learn about natural lighting and how it relates to circadian rhythm and a healthy metabolism.
For a good starting place click this link:
Many of the circadian rhythm experts wear or talk about blue light blocking glasses. A true light blocking pair of glasses will have a visible tint on them. There are also blue light glasses that mimic the color of the sunset. These are recommended to be worn after the sun goes down. The brand of glasses that I have purchased during my experimental period is RA optics. They are at the higher price point of the blue light blockers that are available. Mine have never gotten scratched, and they are well built.
Tinted Glasses:
Just like glasses are tinted to mimic the outside sunset, there are light bulbs available that offer that same effect. The lightbulb linked below has three settings that can easily be toggled through just by turning the light switch off and that back on. The light will stay on a specific setting if the bulb is left on longer than eight seconds. They are quite easy to use.
I have placed some of these lightbulbs in every bathroom in my house so there is sunset lighting available while we are brushing our teeth. I also use some in our lamps. In my original purchase I spent about $235 dollars buying these bulbs for our bathrooms and lights. I have a three bathroom home. This company also has night light options as well.
Natural lighting
If you are interested in learning more about using these bulbs for a lifestyle change and how it can impact your family I have one more podcast linked here.
Holistic Picture of the Impact of Lighting:
Incandescent Lightbulbs were mentioned in this podcast. I was surprised when I went shopping for normal lightbulbs I no longer could find incandescent bulbs in the lighting section of any grocery store or Home Depot or Lowes. (The majority of LED bulbs at this time, and LED has low, but measurable amount of blue light in them. Listen to the linked podcasts for more information.) I did some digging and bought these incandescent bulbs online.
Note: I spend about $290 on lightbulbs from this company. I have made an impact in how I light my home, but I have not replaced my kitchen light bulbs yet, or the light bulbs in my basement. They still have LED bulbs. I’m making small, measurable steps!
Incandescent Bulbs
One last link to a podcast that I would recommend if insomnia is an issue. Understanding the nervous system is part of this lighting equation. This podcast references emotional distress and insomnia. (Listen to the end.)
Hi, I’m Cami
I have been making small but measurable strides in my health journey for the last 10 years. At one .4 years ago I was so discouraged so I hired somebody to help create this website with me so I could put some of the research that I’ve done, and record it with links and words.
This website has been a healing tool for me, in a way to outsource all of the knowledge that I’ve gathered in the last decade. If you have found yourself, wondering why you’re not feeling well, or why mental health runs in your family, I would invite you to join me through critical thinking.
I think there’s more answers for us than we’ve been led to believe there are!
Thank you for being here!
Sources
I ate a raw diet for 28 days to help restore my liver. If you would like to read the story of the spiritual insight after that experience, the blog post is linked here:
My health condition is described in more detail in the blog post linked below:
